Coalition releases long awaited workplace relations policy

Today, the Coalition released its long awaited workplace
relations policy in the lead up to the September election.

The policy, entitled 'The Coalition's Policy to Improve the
Fair Work Laws' (Policy), is part of the
Coalition's Real Solutions Plan, which aims to create one million
jobs, lift real wages and improve the competitiveness of Australian
businesses.

At the forefront of the Policy is the retention of the Fair
Work Act2009 (Cth) (Act).
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said that the Policy will retain and
improve the Act by delivering a new paid parental leave scheme,
revisiting union right of entry provisions and re-establishing the
Australian Building and Construction Commission.

Mr Abbott has also said that the Policy will:

Provide better protection for members of Registered
Organisations

Provide practical help to small business workplaces

Guarantee workers the right to access fair flexibility

Create realistic timeframes for greenfield agreements

Ensure union right of entry provisions are sensible and
fair

Promote harmonious, sensible and productive enterprise
bargaining

Ensure the laws work for everyone (and an independent review by
the respected Productivity Commission will be undertaken)

Mr Abbott has ruled out the re-introduction of Australian
Workplace Agreements, stating that this Policy 'will not be
another WorkChoices'.

Unfortunately, the current state of the unfair dismissal regime
and penalty rates has not been addressed by the Policy, with Mr
Abbott stating that the Coalition would wait and see what impact
Labour's recent changes to unfair dismissal laws would have before
making any changes, and that penalty rates should remain within the
realm of the Fair Work Commission.

Mr Abbott said that he would seek to have the Policy before
parliament within 3 months of a change of government and that the
Policy would remain unchanged for the first term of a coalition
government.